


On The Differences Of Blood

by shifter_goddess



Category: Naruto
Genre: Female Friendship, Friendship, POV Female Character, will add people as they appear - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-28
Updated: 2014-09-28
Packaged: 2018-02-19 02:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2371670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shifter_goddess/pseuds/shifter_goddess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Times that Sakura gained insight into Clans and clan-members.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On The Differences Of Blood

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter contains conversation about the death of a relative; please don't read it if you think it might trigger you.

Two days after Sakura hears of Hinata’s cousin being killed on an away mission - there were more enemy nin than the mission report had said because the person who had asked for the mission wanted to keep the price he was paying cheaper, or so the story went - the scarred-knuckle kunoichi sight of the pale woman walking down a street, a clearly related younger man walking next to her.

Jogging to catch up, Sakura made sure they saw her before she got too close - ninja were twitchy by nature, and ninja who had recently experienced death even more-so. She waved and they slowed, Hinata nodding politely, even warmly, the young man - a teenager still, really, the medic-nin noticed as she drew near - only nodded curtly, clearly annoyed at the interruption. Sakura smiled warmly but not broadly at Hinata as she caught up, falling into step with them easily; smiling broadly would seem much too cheery for the subject at hand.

“Hinata-san, hello. I heard about Idomu - I’m so sorry.” Sakura touched lightly at the other woman’s arm, a silent offer of comfort. Her green eyes flicked to the man at her other arm, and she nodded at him as well, polite and somber.

“Thank you - we appreciate it, Sakura-san. He was blind-sided; there was nothing he could have done.” Sakura watched as Hinata glanced away, grief plain on her face, her voice low. “Even our eyes cannot see everything.”

“But we _can_ do something about it.” The young man spoke for the first time, voice deep for someone as slim as a Hyuuga. He looked pointedly at Hinata, who clearly gained strength from the thought.

“Yes, that is true. Ah - Sakura, my apologies. This is Naohiko-kun. Naohiko, meet Haruno Sakura.” Hinata introduced them with a start. “He is going to accompany me during my next mission.” Naohiko bowed slightly, and Sakura returned the favor.

“Hinata-senpai, I must leave you - this is my street.” The pale-eyed man excused himself and was off, flash-stepping to the nearest roof and then off down the street after a quiet word with the once-timid Hyuuga.

“Younger cousin?” Sakura guessed, smiling slightly.

Hinata laughed quietly, the small sound tinkling in the cooler afternoon air. “Yes, and I think perhaps you awed him, Sakura-san!”

Feeling herself flush, Sakura waved one hand as if to physically dismiss the idea. “Oh, please. People aren't awed by _me_.” She demurred, rolling her eyes. “But I didn't know you were scheduled for a mission - surely someone else could be found, with Idomu’s funeral so close…?”

The other woman shook her head, deep purple strands swaying lightly at the motion. “Oh, no - Idomu and I were close, for all that he was four years older than me. He taught me how to skip stones, things like that, you know? I volunteered for this mission.”

Sakura frowned. “You want to _avoid_ his funeral?”

Hinata shook her head again, leaning in closer. “No - you misunderstand. It’s a Hyuuga tradition - if one is killed dishonorably on the field, close relatives seek the killer and enact the appropriate revenge.”

A light dawned. “Ah. And since you were close to him in life…” She nodded, trailing off. “But how will you find who asked for the mission? Everyone said it was done anonymously.”

Hinata inclined her head significantly, eyes widening a fraction.

Sakura blinked in surprise. “Oh! I didn't think that was - was quite...legal.” She murmured quietly, glancing about discreetly. Only civilians around, and very few of them; good.

“As it is a long-standing tradition of the Hyuuga family nin, it’s often -- overlooked.” The heiress explained, looking faintly embarrassed at the sway her family held. The Hokage and the council would turn a blind eye to two or three Hyuuga’s disappearing for a week or so; missions would be quietly handed to someone else, questions would be side-stepped, and if those same Hyuuga’s returned more bloodied or scarred than when they left, well, certainly _they_ had never noticed it.

“I see. Well, in that case...good luck, Hinata-san.” She offered, smiling slightly more sharply in a way civilians around them would apply no meaning to. But Hinata knew what Sakura was really saying:

_Good hunting._


End file.
